Serge Ibaka last week decided it was better to not discuss recent hostile comments directed at him by San Antonio forward Stephen Jackson.

On Monday, when the two shared the same court for the first time since Jackson used social media to send a threatening message to the Thunder's forward, Ibaka let his game do the talking.

Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka (9) shoots against San Antonio's Tim Duncan (21) during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs in Oklahoma City Monday, Dec. 17, 2012. Oklahoma City won, 107-93. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Ibaka scored a game- and career-high-tying 25 points and led all players with 17 rebounds as the Thunder took advantage of the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs to secure a 107-93 win inside Chesapeake Energy Arena.

It was the Thunder's 11th straight win and the 20th in 24 games this season.

The Spurs, though, were without guard Manu Ginobili for the second time in as many meetings with the Thunder. A left quad contusion he sustained against Boston on Saturday kept him sidelined. Ginobili missed the Thunder's season opener in San Antonio because of a bad back. San Antonio also was without starting forward Kawhi Leonard due to a leg injury.

San Antonio stayed close despite its shortcomings. But the Thunder used a 29-16 third quarter to pull away and outscored the Spurs 54-45 in the second half.

“We knew it was going to be a very physical game,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. “The way they play, even without Ginobili and Leonard, we still know that their depth and their skill-set and their coaching is top of the line.”

For much of the opening quarter, Monday felt like Game 4 of last year's Western Conference Finals rather than game 24 of this season. That's because Ibaka couldn't miss, evoking memories from early June of his 11-for-11 shooting performance against these Spurs.

Ibaka started the game making his first seven shots before his first miss came on a 23-foot attempt to beat the second-quarter buzzer.

He finished 10-for-16 while adding three blocks in 39 minutes.

“They do a great job of taking the main scorers out of the game and not letting them get their averages or have big nights against them,” Kevin Durant (19 points) said of the Spurs. “So that's when you have to step up. It was a really good job of everybody. Serge was terrific tonight.”

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by Darnell Mayberry

OKC Thunder Senior Reporter

Darnell Mayberry grew up in Langston, Okla. and is now in his third stint in the Sooner state. After a year and a half at Bishop McGuinness High, he finished his prep years in Falls Church, Va., before graduating from Norfolk State University in...